Toy torpedo



Aug. 1, 1950 H. T. HAND 2,517,427

TOY TORPEDO Filed Nov. 26, 1947 Patented Aug. 1, 1950 TOY TORPEDO HughT. Hand, Cooksville, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to T. W. Hand Fireworks Co. Limited, Cooksville, Ontario, CanadaApplication November 26, 1947, Serial No. 788,199

4 Claims.

This invention relates to toy torpedoes adapted to explode upon impact,and the principal object of the invention is to provide a toy torpedowhich will be extremely safe to handle and will not scatter upon beingexploded, eliminating danger to the person or property from flyingparticles, yet which can be readily exploded when desired to provide apowerful concussion, resulting in a loud report, the intensity of whichwill in no way be minimized by the containing of the flying particles.

A further important object is to provide a toy torpedo which can beinexpensively manufactured and quickly assembled.

The principal feature of the invention consists in providing a slottednon-shatterable casing and n arranging a detonating cap surrounded bypebbles within the casing, the slots in the casing being sufficientlynarrow to prevent passage of the pebbles whereby the force of theexplosion resulting from detonation of the cap by the pebbles willescape undiminished through the slots while the pebbles will becontained within the casing.

A further important feature consists in forming the slotted casing fromdrawn or moulded plastic formed into a cylinder open at one end andhaving slots extending longitudinally thereof, and providing a closuremember for the open end of the cylinder and adapted to be cemented inposition after insertion of the detonating cap and pebbles.

A still further feature consists in bevelling the outer peripheral wallof the casing at the open end and providing a closure member for thecasing with a corresponding bevel on the inner peripheral wall tofacilitate application of the closure member to the casing and toprovide a wedging action therebetween.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewof my toy torpedo device.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the torpedo casing with the closurecap removed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the closure cap shown in an invertedposition.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the detonating cap.

Figure 5 is a vertical mid-sectional view of my toy torpedo.

Figure 6 is a plan view of my torpedo with the closure cap removed and aportion of the pebbles removed to indicate the detonating cap.

Toy torpedoes which explode with a loud report upon being thrown againsta hard surface have been very extensively used, particularly bychildren. Previously these toy torpedoes have been made with adetonating cap and a bunch of small pebbles wrapped in paper or otherflimsy casing and have been found to be very dangerous, for uponexplosion the pebbles are hurled with considerable force outwardly fromthe source of the detonation. Thus a serious accident can easily occurfor a torpedo exploded near a persons face would blow the pebbles intothe eyes or face.

The present invention has accordingly been devised to provide a casingfor the pebbles and cap which will prevent their dispersion upondetonation yet which will permit the sound pressure wave to escape so asto leave the intensity of the bang undiminished.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, I show my torpedo in theform of a cylindrical casing l formed of drawn or moulded plastic. Thecasing is open at one end 2 and is provided with a plurality oflongitudinal slots 3 in the peripheral wall thereof and extending fromadjacent the closed end to the open end 2.

The open end of the casing is closed by a cap member 6 having an annularflange 1 adapted to fit over the wall of the casing and having a bevel 8on its inner peripheral surface to corre spond to the bevel 5 of thecasing.

The annular cap flange 1 is provided with an annular rib 9 on its outerperipheral surface to increase its strength. This cap member 6 is alsopreferably formed of a plastic material.

Arranged in the casing l intermediate the length thereof is a detonatingcap l9 comprising a pair of circular discs II which define a centralpocket therebetween to receive a suitable explosive charge l2. Arrangedon either side of the detonating cap are a plurality of pebbles orstones l3. When the cap in and pebbles l3 are placed in the casing andthe casing cap member 6 applied the pebbles surrounding the detonatingcap will have a degree of movement permitting them to be forcefullyprojected against the cap when the torpedo is thrown against a hardsurface, causing detonation to the explosive charge l2.

In selecting the pebbles I3 they will be screened so that all thepebbles placed in the casing will be of a size greater than the narrowdimension of the slots 3 to prevent their passage therethrough, and thecasing l and closure cap 6 are formed with sufficient strength towithstand the explosion caused by the detonation of the cap I0 so thatthey will not rupture upon detonation.

To permit escape of the pressure waves directed endwise of the casing lupon explosion the cap 3 member 6 is provided with a small centralorifice l4, while the bottom of the casing is provided with a smallcentral orifice 15.

My torpedo device is very readily assembled, pebbles 3 being placed inthe casing followed by the detonating cap l and the further layer orlayers of pebbles l3 placed on top of the ca H].

The closure cap 6 is then slipped over the open end 2 of the casing withthe bevelled surfaces and 8 providing a wedging action as the cap 6 ispressed down on to the cylindrical casing. The cap is then permanentlysecured by means of suitable cement applied to the contacting bevelledsurfaces.

Not only do the bevelled surfaces 5 and 5 provide a wedging action toensure proper fit between the cap cylinder or casing but anyinaccuracies in the relative diameter of the cap and casing will beaccommodated.

The casing l and cap 6 when cemented in posi-- tion thus form anon-rupturable or non-shattering container having sufficient structuralstrength to withstand the explosion resulting from the detonation of thecap it].

When using the torpedo it is thrown with sufficient force against a hardsurface to cause the pebbles [3 to detonate the cap iii.

The sound pressure wave set up by the detonation of the cap readilyescapes through the slots 3 to create the sensation of a loud report orhang.

to pass through the slots 3, will be retained in the casing. Thus whilethe sound pressure wave escapes with undiminished intensity the dangerof flying fragments is completely eliminated.

It will be appreciated that my slotted casing structure will permit theescape of the energy of the explosion in the form of a pressure wave andtherefore its construction need not be heavy or cumbersome to withstandwithout shattering the explosion force.

If desired the plastic material forming the casing and closure cap maybe coloured to provide an attractive appearance- While moulded plasticcasings are extremely satisfactory for constructing my torpedo, it willbe understood that other forms of non-rupturable or non-shatteringcontainers may be resorted to without departing from the scope of myinvention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A toy torpedo comprising a non-shattering plastic casing, narrowlongitudinal slots in the wall of said casing, a detonating cap and aquantity of sized non--pulverizing pebbles arranged in said casing withsaid pebbles being adapted to detonate said cap, the slots in saidcasing being of a width less than the minimum dimensions of said pebblesto prevent passage of said pebbles.

,30 The pebbles however, because they are too large 2. A toy torpedocomprising a cylindrical casing having a plurality of narrowlongitudinal slots in the wall thereof, a detonating cap arranged insaid casing, and pebbles of a size to prevent their passage through saidslots and of a material nonshatterable under the explosive force of saidcap loosely arranged insaid casing on each side of said cap, saiddetonating cap being exploded by said pebbles upon impact of said casingagainst a hard surface, said casing being formed of a material whichwill withstand the detonation of said cap and the shock of said pebbleswithout rupturing to retain said pebbles while the pressure wave of theexplosive escapes through said slots.

3. A toy torpedo comprising a cylindrical nonrupturing casing having anopen end and having the peripheral wall bevelled at said open end, aquantity of sized non-pulverizing pebbles, and a detonating cap arrangedin said casing, narrow longitudinal slots formed in the peripheral wallof said casing and extending to the open end thereofand having a widthless than the smallest dimensions of said pebbles to prevent passage ofsaid pebbles therethrough, and a cap closing said casing and providedwith an annular flange engaging'the said bevelled periphery of thecasing and having a bevelled inner periphery corresponding to the bevelof said casing wall.

4. A toy torpedo comprising a cylindrical non-rupturing casing" havingan open end, a quantity of 'sized non-pulverizing pebbles and adetonating'cap arranged in said casing, narrow slots formed in the wallof said casing and extending to the open end thereof, and a cap closingthe open end of said casing, said slots having a Width less than theminimum dimensions of said pebbles whereby upon throwing said torpedo todetonate said cap through the medium of said pebbles the pressure waveof the explosion will be permitted tov escape therethrough but thepebbles hurled outwardly by the explosion will be safely contained;

HUGH T. HAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 291,853 Pilgrim Jan. 8, 18842,079,008 Goss May 4, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 843,734France Apr. 3, 1939

